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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- After two seasons serving as an assistant to the New England Patriots' coaching staff, longtime NFL front-office executive Michael Lombardi is moving on from the role, according to sources. Lombardi, who had joined the Patriots after serving as Cleveland Browns general manager in 2013, also served as an analyst with the NFL Network and NFL.com from 2008 to 2012 and could be considering a return to the media where his longtime friend, Bill Simmons, is starting a new venture at HBO, sources said. Lombardi worked regularly out of Gillette Stadium over the past two years and was a regular at team practices -- most recently during spring organized team activities and minicamp -- and was also one of the few staffers inside the team's draft room. It is believed to be an amicable parting. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has praised Lombardi's contributions to the franchise over the past two years, as it was a position that was created specifically for him. "I've asked Mike to do some things on an individual [basis] -- projects or things that I've asked him to do -- and he's done a great job of that for me," Belichick said in September. "Mike has been a big help to me personally." Lombardi first joined the NFL in 1984, spending three seasons in the San Francisco 49ers' personnel department. He then spent 1987 to 1995 with the Browns as a scout, pro personnel director and director of player personnel, the final five years under Belichick. He also has worked for the Philadelphia Eagles (1997-1998) and Oakland Raiders (1999-2007).
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